Dodgers Minor League Recap: Postseason Fast Approaching

As the Minor League season winds down, some affiliates have already clinched playoff spots while others are fighting hard for the postseason. Double-A Tulsa remains four games out in the Texas League’s North division, while Ogden is three games back in the Pioneer League South.

The Arizona League Dodgers are nursing a half-game lead in their division heading into play Monday. With just over a week left in their respective seasons, some of these races will come down to the wire.

Hitter of the Week – Matt Jones

The hulking slugger from Nebraska has shown drastic improvement in his second pro season. After struggling in the AZL, he’s hitting his stride in Ogden, where he’s produced a .313/.364/.564 line thru 53 games. Last week, he hit .444 with three home runs, one triple and four doubles.

Pitcher of the Week – Nolan Long

This year’s 16th-rounder has been dominant in the AZL. After a rough debut, in which he allowed two earned runs in two-third of an inning, Long has not allowed a run in eight games since. His ERA in 19.1 innings is 0.93.

In his most recent outing, Long went five innings and allowed just three baserunners while striking out seven. At 6’10, the former college basketball player is one of the most intriguing prospects in the Dodgers’ system.

Top 10 Update

–Julio Urias had a strong outing, lasting six innings while allowing just one run and striking out eight.

–Corey Seager ended the week well, hitting a double and grand slam on Sunday to cap the OKC Dodgers’ win.

–Jose De Leon pitched twice last week, with two very different results. In his first outing, he struck out seven over four innings of one-run ball. In the second outing, he lasted just two innings, allowing three runs on a pair of homers, though he still managed to strike out five.

–Grant Holmes bounced back from a rough start, going two scoreless innings while striking out four.

–Jose Peraza struggled last week, going 6-for-30, though he did steal four bases.

–Jharel Cotton went six strong innings, allowing just two runs while striking out seven.

–Alex Verdugo hit a bump in the road, batting .233 with six strikeouts, though he did one home run, a triple and two doubles.

–Cody Bellinger returned to the lineup on Sunday after missing a week after being hit on the wrist by a pitch. In his first game back, he faced rehabbing Major Leaguer in Archie Bradley, he homered and walked against the Diamondbacks’ starter, plus adding a single later in the game.

–Austin Barnes had a great week, batting .500 with a double and a pair of walks.

Notable Performances

–Alex Santana, playing in Ogden, hit .375 last week with a trio of home runs.

–Gage Green, this year’s 35th-rounder, hit .385/.467/.731 last week with one home run, a triple and four doubles.

–Kyle Garlick, this year’s 28th-rounder, has shot up the system, now playing with High-A Rancho Cucamonga. Last week he hit four home runs, bringing his season total to nine in just 56 games.

–Willie Calhoun continues to hit, going 7-for-18 last week with four doubles and four walks.

–Scott Barlow made two starts last week, allowing just one run in 13 innings while striking out 12.

–Matt Shelton, the converted knuckleballer, went sven shutout innings without allowing a walk in his start for the Quakes.

–Adalberto Pena, for the Dominican Summer League Dodgers, went six no-hit innings with eight strikeouts on Wednesday. His teammate, Leonardo Crawford, went 6.2 shutout innings of his own, striking out 10.